When the Civil War Reached New Mexico—and Why It Still Matters

Col. Kit Carson, USA (L) and Gen. Henry Hopkins Sibley, CSA (R).

Most people think of the Civil War as something that happened far from here—fought in places like Gettysburg, Antietam, or Vicksburg. But in the spring of 1862, New Mexico became the front line of a Confederate invasion.

I recently dug into this fascinating—and largely forgotten—chapter of our history, inspired by a local July 4th weekend reenactment of the Battle of Glorieta Pass here in Edgewood. It was a small event, but it sparked something bigger for me: a deep dive into the stories behind New Mexico’s role in the Civil War.

Here’s what I discovered:

• Confederate troops really did invade New Mexico, aiming to seize the Southwest and Colorado’s gold fields.
• Along the way, they occupied Albuquerque and Santa Fe, flying the Confederate flag over the oldest capital city in the United States.
• At Valverde Ford, a bizarre and tragic “kamikaze mule” episode unfolded—one of the strangest moments of the war.
• Hispano New Mexican fighters, many of whom had been Mexican citizens just 14 years earlier, defended their homes with ferocity—motivated by long-standing animosity toward the invading Texans.
• Kit Carson and New Mexico volunteers played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s identity, laying the groundwork for eventual statehood.

I tell the full story—including the battles of Valverde and Glorieta Pass, the Confederate retreat, and why this history still resonates today—in my latest Substack essay:

👉 Read the full essay here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/axelnewe/p/the-battle-for-the-far-west-new-mexicos

It’s more than just a war story. It’s about the layers of identity in New Mexico—how families that had been here for centuries shaped the territory’s future and fought to defend it. That same dynamic still echoes today, even if most people have forgotten it.

Sometimes, the most fascinating parts of history aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones hiding in plain sight, right under our feet.

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